COMMODORE MATTHEW CALBRAITH PERRY, whose ships
were the first modern Western squadron to reach Japan, was
a senior and distinguished officer of the United States Navy.
He had only accepted the Pacific command with reluctance, in
the expectation that he would be provided with a force commensurate with his rank and reputation, and he had no intention of suffering the same kind of treatment in Japan as had
been meted out to previous Western envoys. On July 8, 1853,
therefore, when his two steamers and two sailing vessels
anchored off Uraga, his orders were that no insults or slights
in any form were to be tolerated. The ships were to be cleared
for action at all times. Only officials were to be allowed on
board. These, moreover, were to be told that only an envoy of
high rank, appointed by the Japanese government, would be
permitted to see the commodore, who would deliver to him in
proper manner a letter from President Fillmore, together with
a number of presents for the Japanese ruler. The letter was
intended subsequently to form the basis of negotiations. Meanwhile, no matter what arguments and entreaties the Japanese
employed, the commodore was not prepared to go to Nagasaki
for discussions. Indeed, the only move he was prepared to consider was one which would take him nearer Edo.

In the Shogun's capital, Perry's arrival and the obvious
strength of his squadron caused consternation, even though
advance warning of it had been given by the Dutch several

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